A Life of Beauty in Motion - Historic New Orleans Collection
A Life of Beauty in Motion - Historic New Orleans Collection A Life of Beauty in Motion - Historic New Orleans Collection
Harvey Hysell in Carmina Burana as the Roasted Swan, 1969 (2009.0142.4). All images in this story are the gift of the estate of Harvey Benson Hysell III, Diane L. Carney, and Ian W. O. Carney. 10 Volume XXVIII, Number 3 — Summer 2011 Harvey Hysell: A R eflecting in 1994 on a 25-year career in New Orleans, choreographer, teacher, and costume designer harvey hysell wrote, “What has this shy little preacher’s boy accomplished?…I sigh and ponder and finally say, ‘You did your best, and you succeeded in producing Beauty, on stage and occasionally by helping people dance to find the Beauty in themselves.’” harvey Benson hysell III was born in New Orleans in 1936 to a Methodist minister and a church pianist. As a young boy he occasionally observed the ballet classes his mother accompanied at Newcomb College and immediately developed an interest in the art form. When hysell was 11, his mother enrolled him with Lelia haller, a prominent New Orleans ballet instructor and the first American dancer appointed première danseuse of the Paris Opera Ballet. hysell was a natural and soon began performing with haller’s Crescent City Ballet before attending high school in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he continued to be active in the performing arts. he attended Texas Christian University on full scholarship and, in 1960, became the first male in the country to receive a bachelor of fine arts degree in ballet. In addition to dance classes, hysell’s TCU curriculum included coursework in choreography and costume design. he excelled in both, making him particularly desirable in the world of professional dance. Upon graduation, hysell moved to New York where he refined his technique under the tutelage of Vincenzo Celli, one of the most respected ballet instructors in the world. While in New York, hysell designed costumes for such ballet luminaries as Royes Fernandez, the New Orleans– born principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre; Paula Tennyson, soloist with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; and Maria Tallchief, the first Native American prima ballerina who was then with the New York City Ballet. In 1962 hysell was signed as the premier danseur for the new company Allegro American Ballet, and within a few months he was performing the lead male roles for Swan Lake and Giselle. Shortly thereafter he became the company’s principal costume designer. After touring nationally with Ruth Page’s Chicago Opera Ballet in 1965, hysell turned his focus solely to costume design. he moved back to New Orleans with friend and business partner Lewis “Jamie” Greenleaf in 1966 and set up Greenleafhysell Associates Inc., a costume design firm specializing in work for Mardi Gras krewes and local theater groups. The firm’s work in New Orleans quickly won acclaim. While reviewing the Gallery Circle Theatre’s 1966 production of
Life of Beauty in Motion Once Upon a Mattress, Times-Picayune critic Frank Gagnard noted, “Greenleaf and hysell…have realized their ideas with wit, consistency of style and a professionalism that announces two classy designers have just settled in New Orleans.” hysell never lost his love of ballet, and he made occasional appearances in local dance performances. In 1969 he collaborated with the New Orleans Concert Choir on a production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, performing as well as providing the choreography and costume design. Later that year he formed the semiprofessional company Ballet hysell, and in 1971 he opened Ballet hysell School, located on Magazine Street until 1978, when it was moved to a renovated church just off St. Charles Avenue. Ballet hysell garnered immediate attention and praise for its sumptuous productions. It was the first company in New Orleans to stage Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in its entirety, and two of its early productions, A Day for Flower Children and King David, were aired on regional PBS-affiliated television stations. As momentum grew, hysell’s reputation became great Two students posing in Ballet Hysell School studio (2009.0142.2) enough to bring ballet luminaries such as Fernando Bujones and Natalia Makarova (both with the American Ballet Theatre) to perform with his company. In 1976 Ballet hysell became the New Orleans Ballet, with more professional personnel and stronger financial support. One of the company’s highlights was receiving a commission from elizabeth Arden to stage a ballet named after its latest perfume, Cabriole. The company toured this ballet along with other pieces in Guatemala in September 1982. The New Orleans Ballet was dissolved in 1982, but hysell remained busy as guest choreographer for various local and national companies and as the director of the very successful Ballet hysell School. With the help of longtime associate Diane Carney, hysell intensified the school’s class schedule. They instituted summer workshops that attracted students from Alaska to Maine to study with hysell, Carney, and a roster of important instructors and performers. Throughout the years, Ballet hysell School trained many leading artists, including Rosalie O’Connor (American Ballet Theatre), The historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly 11
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<strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Beauty</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Motion</strong><br />
Once Upon a Mattress, Times-Picayune critic Frank Gagnard<br />
noted, “Greenleaf and hysell…have realized their ideas with<br />
wit, consistency <strong>of</strong> style and a pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism that announces<br />
two classy designers have just settled <strong>in</strong> <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong>.”<br />
hysell never lost his love <strong>of</strong> ballet, and he made<br />
occasional appearances <strong>in</strong> local dance performances. In 1969<br />
he collaborated with the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> Concert Choir on a<br />
production <strong>of</strong> Carl Orff’s Carm<strong>in</strong>a Burana, perform<strong>in</strong>g as well<br />
as provid<strong>in</strong>g the choreography and costume design. Later that<br />
year he formed the semipr<strong>of</strong>essional company Ballet hysell,<br />
and <strong>in</strong> 1971 he opened Ballet hysell School, located on<br />
Magaz<strong>in</strong>e Street until 1978, when it was moved to a renovated<br />
church just <strong>of</strong>f St. Charles Avenue.<br />
Ballet hysell garnered immediate attention and praise for<br />
its sumptuous productions. It was the first company <strong>in</strong> <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Orleans</strong> to stage Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker <strong>in</strong> its entirety,<br />
and two <strong>of</strong> its early productions, A Day for Flower Children and<br />
K<strong>in</strong>g David, were aired on regional PBS-affiliated television<br />
stations. As momentum grew, hysell’s reputation became great<br />
Two students pos<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Ballet Hysell School studio (2009.0142.2)<br />
enough to br<strong>in</strong>g ballet lum<strong>in</strong>aries such as Fernando Bujones<br />
and Natalia Makarova (both with the American Ballet Theatre)<br />
to perform with his company. In 1976 Ballet hysell became<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> Ballet, with more pr<strong>of</strong>essional personnel and<br />
stronger f<strong>in</strong>ancial support. One <strong>of</strong> the company’s highlights<br />
was receiv<strong>in</strong>g a commission from elizabeth Arden to stage a<br />
ballet named after its latest perfume, Cabriole. The company<br />
toured this ballet along with other pieces <strong>in</strong> Guatemala <strong>in</strong><br />
September 1982.<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> Ballet was dissolved <strong>in</strong> 1982, but hysell<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>ed busy as guest choreographer for various local and<br />
national companies and as the director <strong>of</strong> the very successful<br />
Ballet hysell School. With the help <strong>of</strong> longtime associate<br />
Diane Carney, hysell <strong>in</strong>tensified the school’s class schedule.<br />
They <strong>in</strong>stituted summer workshops that attracted students<br />
from Alaska to Ma<strong>in</strong>e to study with hysell, Carney, and a<br />
roster <strong>of</strong> important <strong>in</strong>structors and performers. Throughout<br />
the years, Ballet hysell School tra<strong>in</strong>ed many lead<strong>in</strong>g artists,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Rosalie O’Connor (American Ballet Theatre),<br />
The historic <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> <strong>Collection</strong> Quarterly 11
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